A Caged Songbird's Escape: Into the Arms of a Predator novel Chapter 303

Elissa couldn’t say exactly when it started, but at some point, she forgot how to breathe.

She didn’t even know which part of her body ached the most. Bowing her head and curling over in her seat, she tried to ease the tightness in her chest, that suffocating feeling that came out of nowhere.

She’d always blamed Rowan for everything. Yet when she heard what had happened to him, her body reacted before her mind could catch up.

Hearing he was hurt made her feel pain too.

It never ceased to amaze her, the way those nine years together had left such deep marks—scars she’d never anticipated.

Elissa tried her best to hold it together. She knew bursting into tears now would only kill everyone’s appetite. But even as she blinked hard, a tear slipped free and splashed onto the floor.

Tanya Foster had heard her share of stories about feuding families, but hearing about real, blood-and-guts violence was something else entirely. For a moment, she was stunned, only noticing Elissa’s distress when she caught the glimmer of tears.

Lorraine quietly pulled a napkin from the dispenser and handed it to Tanya, gesturing for her to give it to Elissa.

“Elissa?” Tanya asked gently.

“Sorry,” Elissa whispered, taking the napkin without looking up. She quickly dabbed at her eyes, forcing a small, apologetic smile. “Just… suddenly thinking about my parents.”

Tanya nodded in understanding, filling in the gaps for Lorraine, “Elissa’s parents—well, they died in a car accident too.”

Lorraine didn’t press, pretending not to notice the emotional undercurrent. Just then, the waiter arrived with their food, and she jumped in, “Let’s eat while it’s hot. The roast chicken here is really good.”

After dinner, Tanya returned to her law firm while Elissa and Lorraine headed back to Murphy Group—Lorraine to the executive office, Elissa to the research lab.

Despite her mind swirling with emotions, Elissa found that once she stepped into the lab, she could shove everything else aside and focus completely on her work.

She knew better than anyone what she needed to do.

But as night fell and work finally wound down, Lorraine’s words kept replaying in her head, over and over, like a broken record.

She didn’t dare imagine what it felt like, that split second when the bullet tore into Rowan’s body.

She didn’t want to think about how much it must have hurt.

“Go ahead.”

After Xavier left, Elissa sat alone in the lab for a long time. By the time her results came in, night had fallen thick and black outside the windows. She gathered her things and headed out.

Plenty of people in the R&D department were still working, the lights blazing. Even in the elevator lobby, a couple of employees waited for the lift.

Elissa stood quietly among them, but when the elevator doors slid open, she noticed no one else made a move to enter.

Curious, she looked inside—and saw Rowan.

He stood tall and poised, his presence as cool and commanding as ever. When he saw her, his expression softened slightly. “Are you coming in?” His voice was calm, almost gentle.

Elissa stepped in. As the doors closed, she found herself glancing at Rowan, again and again, unable to help it.

“Falling for me, are you?” he said, just as she blurted, “Can I get a ride home with you?”

Both of them froze, the words hanging between them in the quiet elevator.